One Day, page 9
Cam groaned. “You’d better not embarrass me with tales from our youth.”
Joe chuckled. “You mean like that one time we snuck out of the children’s home and went to check out those prostitutes hanging on the corner of the block a mile away?”
Cam narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, like that kind of shit.”
Joe continued, unrelenting. “Oh, and how one of them thought you were sixteen, dragged you in a back alley, and practically French-kissed an orgasm out of you?”
Cam cursed under his breath. “That’s exactly the kind of shit I don’t want you to talk about, Joe.”
“Don’t worry your pretty little head, Cam,” Joe drawled. “I won’t be mentioning that night.”
Cam grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “You mean the night we swore never to speak of again for as long as we live?”
“Yup,” Joe said, his voice full of suppressed mirth. “That one.”
“You told Ethan about it?”
“No,” Joe said. “You told Gabe?”
“Nope,” Cam replied. “I think it would be best if we never revealed the, er, details of that night to them. I mean, technically, nothing happened.”
“But it almost did,” Joe said.
Cam scowled. “Don’t remind me, you brute. I can’t believe you tried to push me down.”
“I can’t believe you tried to do the same to me,” Joe countered drily.
“Yeah, well, despite what you said, height doesn’t matter when it comes to fucking,” Cam said.
“I think I have a few inches on you in places other than just height, Cam,” Joe said.
Cam grinned. “You fucker.”
“Right back at you.”
Cam ended the call and looked out into the night. He knew deep down inside that Gabe loved him to death and would never cheat on him. But he couldn’t deny that Gabe was definitely hiding something from him. Cam could see it from the way he’d catch Gabe watching him from time to time, his expression at once guilty and happy, as if he was nursing a secret.
Well, whatever it is, I’m sure he’ll tell me eventually. A smile danced across Cam’s lips as he recalled all of the naughty things he and Gabe had done in the sex club’s playroom, that second night in Macau. Or I could tease it out of him.
Chapter 20
“Ethan, you seen my sunglasses?” Joe called out from the bedroom.
“I gotta go,” Ethan murmured hastily into his cell where he stood on the balcony of his and Joe’s condo. He paused and smiled. “I can’t wait to meet you too.”
Ethan ended the call just as Joe appeared in the lounge. He turned, slipped the phone inside the rear pocket of his jeans, and strolled toward his lover.
“Weren’t they in your tennis bag? You had them when you played Cam last weekend.”
Joe dropped a quick peck on Ethan’s lips. “You’re a genius.”
Ethan grinned as he watched Joe head back into their bedroom. He hoped he’d successfully masked the excitement coursing through him; there were only a few days left until the plan he and Gabe had been working on for the last two months would finally come to fruition.
His cell rang in the next instant. It was Evie.
“You two had better not be having sex up there,” she said when he answered. “We’re in the limo outside your building.”
Ethan sucked air between his teeth. “Just give me five minutes to finish blowing Joe.”
A series of groans echoed in his ear.
“You’re on speaker, asshole!” Cam shouted in the background.
“Great,” Lincoln muttered next to Eveline. “Now I’m gonna be imagining that the whole ride to the airport.”
“Fuckers can’t keep it in their pants,” Rhys said somewhere close by.
Eveline’s laughter bubbled through the speaker. “You hear that? Now hurry on down here!”
They left Tokyo within the hour. By the time they reached Molokai and were chauffeured over to the resort, it was nearly ten in the evening local time.
“Whoa,” Ethan murmured as their limo pulled up in front of the main hotel building.
“Like it?” Lincoln said with a smile as they stepped out of the vehicle into the balmy night air. Bell boys came to collect their cases while they stood admiring their surroundings in the gentle glow of the flame torches and lanterns that lined the resort’s driveway and forecourt.
“What’s not to like?” Joe said. “It’s stunning, Lincoln.”
Eveline grinned at Lincoln and slipped her hand into his. “Even though we’ve been here a few times, I still think it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen, Linc.”
Set on forty acres of lush, tropical grounds fronting a pristine white beach and a crystal-clear lagoon, Lincoln’s resort consisted of one central building that housed the administrative offices, the main reception area, and two bars. Spreading out from it like the limbs of a starfish were two hundred single and two-story bungalows, with the beachfront ones having their own private pools, hot tubs, and outdoor showers. In addition to the individualized suites and villas, the resort boasted eight restaurants, six bars, a variety of swimming pools and natural rock pools, two golf courses, tennis courts, a five-star spa, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and several luxury yachts moored at a private pier for day trips around the island. The resort’s incredibly successful grand opening a few months ago had made the business news even as far away as Tokyo.
Although the hotel specifically didn’t cater to weddings, Lincoln had agreed to let Cam and Gabe have theirs at the venue and had restricted room bookings for the week they would all be there. As such, they would have the place mostly to themselves.
They bumped into Luke, Ash, and Tom in the lobby.
“Hey,” Luke said as they hugged and shook hands. “This place is amazing, Lincoln.” He dipped his chin at Gabe, Rhys, and Wade. “You guys did a great job on the place.”
“Well, it was mostly Gabe,” Wade said.
Cam smiled proudly at his fiancé. Though Damon & Tucker had done the interior design for Lincoln’s resort, it was Gabe and his team who’d spearheaded the entire project.
“Where’s Lana?” Eveline said, looking around curiously.
Tom grimaced. “She was feeling a bit peaky so I put her to bed when we got here.”
Lincoln frowned slightly. “We have a doctor on site if you think she needs to see one.”
“Thanks, but I think she’ll be okay,” Tom said with a faint head shake. “It’s probably just jet lag. She doesn’t do well on long-haul flights.”
They chatted for a bit before heading off to the beachfront villas they’d been assigned for their stay.
Ethan’s eyes widened as he entered his and Joe’s one-story bungalow. “This place is gorgeous.”
They checked out the beautiful master bedroom with its en suite granite bathroom. Beyond a chic lounge and dining area were sliding doors leading onto the deck overlooking their private outdoor pool and lava rock shower.
Joe looped his arms around Ethan’s waist from behind as they stepped out into the warm night. “It sure is that.”
They stood looking out over the dark Pacific Ocean in comfortable silence, the sound of surf crashing onto the pale beach a short distance away merging with the song of crickets from the nearby bushes and palm trees.
“It’s been a long day,” Joe finally murmured against Ethan’s head. “We should go to bed.”
“Hmm,” Ethan said with a soft sigh. He turned in Joe’s hold and wrapped his arms around Joe’s neck. “Carry me there?” he murmured teasingly against Joe’s throat.
A gasp left Ethan’s lips when Joe suddenly stooped and swung him up into his arms, princess-style.
“I spoil you rotten, you know that, don’t you?” Joe said with a low chuckle as he carried Ethan through the villa to the bedroom.
Ethan laughed when Joe dumped him on the bed. Heat flashed though him in the next instant when Joe climbed onto the mattress and crouched above him on all fours. Ethan tugged his lower lip between his teeth and reached for the bottom of Joe’s T-shirt.
“That doesn’t look like a sleepy face,” Joe drawled as Ethan peeled the material up and over his head.
Ethan grinned, drew Joe’s zipper down, and slipped his hand inside Joe’s jeans to palm his stirring cock.
Joe groaned. “Definitely not a sleepy face,” he mumbled, leaning down to kiss Ethan.
Chapter 21
“This is the life.” Eveline sipped the cocktail in her hand and sighed as she looked out over the sparkling lagoon a few feet away. A breeze blew in from the ocean and cooled her warm skin.
It was the second morning of their stay at the resort. With their wedding five days away, Gabe and Cam had gone off to meet with their wedding planner to ensure the final arrangements were in place for Saturday.
Lincoln lifted his head where he lay face down on a sun lounger next to her. “Hmm, babe? I think you should pace yourself with those. Barry has a mean hand when it comes to dishing out the vodka.”
Eveline reached over and patted Lincoln’s thigh. “Worry not, my sweet. I’m alternating them with those killer fruit shakes of his.”
“I’m pretty sure I saw him pour booze in the blender when he made those too,” Luke muttered from his sun lounger.
Eveline squinted at the large, chilled glass on the table next to her. “Really?”
“Yup,” Ash said. “Some kind of rum.” The young Colby heir had acquired a beautiful tan since they’d been at the resort and his honey skin was now a nutty bronze.
“Please stop talking about alcohol,” Ethan groaned from where he sat on a blanket in the shade behind them. He was lying between Joe’s legs where the latter read a book, his back against a tree.
“Oh?” Rhys tipped his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose and arched an eyebrow at Ethan where he sat on the edge of his lounge while Wade applied sun tan lotion to his back. “Is someone regretting his drinking game from last night?”
Eveline grinned. Wade chuckled.
“Told you she could drink you under the table,” Joe muttered to Ethan, his eyes still on his book.
“You’re supposed to be taking my side, you know,” Ethan grumbled.
“I would if you weren’t so stubborn,” Joe said. “Besides, she gave you plenty of fair warning.”
“She did,” Luke said.
“Yup,” Ash nodded.
Eveline laughed at Ethan’s expression. Movement to the right drew her gaze. Lana appeared on the beach, a hat holding her hair securely in place and a willowy white dress hanging loosely on her frame.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” Lincoln said as she joined Ethan and Joe in the shade.
Lana’s lips twisted in a brief grimace as she sat down carefully on the blanket. “A bit better.”
Concern flooded Eveline as she studied Lana’s pale expression. “You don’t look better. You sure you don’t want us to get the doctor for you?”
Lana shook her head and bit her lip. “No. Whatever this bug is, it tends to be worse in the morning for some reason. I’m usually fine by the afternoon.”
Eveline stiffened. She shared a glance with Lincoln. His eyes had just widened too.
“Lana, honey, how long have you been feeling queasy for?” Eveline said gently. She realized she wasn’t the only one suddenly staring at Lana. Everyone else was too.
Lana frowned at them. “Hmm, about a week now. Why?”
Rhys rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “Are your, umm, boobs sore?”
Surprise widened Lana’s eyes. She flushed. “Well, now that you mention it—”
Luke sighed and swung his legs over the side of his sun lounger, his expression pained. “Okay. Since I’ve known you the longest, I’m gonna come out and ask the question everyone is thinking right now. Lana, when was your last period?”
“Seriously, you guys,” Lana spluttered, “what the hell kind of line of questioning is—Oh!” She froze in the next instant, her eyes rounding like saucers as she finally grasped what they were trying to tell her. She covered her mouth with her hands. “Holy. Fuck,” she mumbled hoarsely.
“Holy fuck what?” Tom said as he joined them, two soda pops in hands. He stopped and frowned as they all stared at him, a shocked Lana included. “Why are you guys looking at me like that for?”
“Holy fuck,” Tom murmured, his heart pounding in his chest.
He stared at the pregnancy test in Lana’s hand. It was the third one they’d done in the past half hour and all three were unanimously positive.
Tears suddenly pooled in Lana’s eyes.
Tom’s chest twisted with a jolt of pain. He wrapped Lana gently in his arms where he sat beside her on the edge of the bathtub and kissed her forehead. “Hey, hey,” he hushed against her hair, “it’s alright. We’ll figure it out.”
Lana shook her head. “These aren’t sad tears,” she said in a wobbly voice. She raised her eyes and met his stunned gaze. “These are happy tears.”
A dizzying wave of relief flooded Tom then. He hadn’t been sure how he felt about the possibility of Lana falling pregnant so soon into their relationship as a couple; even though they’d known each other for years, they’d barely been together five months. Although they’d spoken about kids, it was all related to a distant hazy future, hence why he always used a condom and Lana was on the pill.
Now that they were sitting there in the bathroom at the resort doctor’s office, three positive pregnancy tests in hand, Tom couldn’t deny the breathtaking happiness flowing through him. He inhaled shakily, too overwhelmed to speak for a moment.
“So, you want the baby too?” Tom finally said in a trembling voice.
Lana nodded, her green eyes sparkling. “Of course.” She pressed a hand carefully to her flat belly. “He or she is a part of you. Of us.” She lifted her other hand to Tom’s face and caressed his cheek tenderly. “It’s a given that I would want someone who is the physical proof of our love.”
Tom’s vision blurred with his own tears. He took Lana’s lips in a sweet kiss before leaning down and pressing his mouth to her belly. “You hear that, kid? Your mama and I can’t wait for you to get here.”
Someone pounded heavily on the bathroom door.
“Hey, we know you guys are having a moment in there, but, seriously, how long does it take to pee on a stick?” Ethan said loudly from the other side.
Lana chuckled and wiped her tears away as Tom rose and strode over to the door. He opened it to find Ethan with one fist raised to knock again.
“Well?” Ethan asked impatiently.
The others stood behind him, faces similarly expectant. Gabe and Cam were among them, Ethan having gone to find them to share the incredible news.
Tom grinned and took Lana’s hand in his own as she joined him. “We’re pregnant.”
The room erupted in loud whoops and cheers as everyone congratulated them.
Eveline rushed inside the waiting room, her face flushed. “What did I miss?”
“Tom knocked Lana up,” Ethan said with a beam. “Where’d you go?”
“Yes!” Eveline squealed, fist pumping the air. She rushed over to hug Lana and Tom, tears gleaming in her eyes. “And I went to get this from Tom’s bag.” She placed a small black velvet box in Tom’s hands and kissed his cheek.
A hush descended across the waiting room.
Tom swallowed nervously. He read the encouragement blazing in Eveline’s eyes, took a deep breath, and got down on one knee in front of a stunned-looking Lana. “I know it’s a bit cliché to be doing this right now, but I’ve had this for a while and was going ask you the question at Christmas.” He opened the box and exposed a beautiful solitaire diamond ring.
Eveline grabbed Lincoln’s hand, a goofy expression on her face. Gabe’s smile widened as he looped an arm around Cam’s waist.
“This belonged to my grandmother,” Tom said, his pulse racing madly as he looked up into Lana’s jade green eyes. “She bequeathed it to me when she passed away, to give to the woman I wanted to marry one day. I knew that woman was you for a long time, but I never thought I would have the chance to actually give it to you one day.”
Tears overflowed Lana’s eyes and coursed down her face.
And there, surrounded by their closest friends and three positive pregnancy tests, Tom finally said the words he’d wanted to say all his life to the woman in front of him.
“Lana, will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife?”
A dreamy smile lit up Lana’s face. “The honor would be mine, Tom,” she said in a choked voice. “The honor would be mine.”
Tom wiped his wet eyes with the back of his hand before slipping his grandmother’s engagement ring on Lana’s finger. He climbed to his feet and chuckled when she launched herself at him and kissed him hard while everyone around them clapped and cheered.
“Wow, this wedding bug is catching,” Rhys said teasingly. “Better be careful.” He looked at Eveline. “The pregnancy one might be catching too.”
Lincoln studied Eveline with a thoughtful expression. She smiled, rose on her tip toes, and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Everything in its own time, Monster Meat. Everything in its own time.”
Chapter 22
Gabe glanced anxiously at his watch as he waited on the deck outside his and Cam’s villa. It was finally time.
Cam came out of their bedroom and joined him. “I gotta say, a walk is exactly what I need right now,” he said with a heavy sigh. “That wedding rehearsal was nerve-racking. What time are we meeting everyone for dinner?”
Gabe smiled as Cam took his hand and led him out onto the sand. “Seven.”
They headed out along the beach, the sun a giant yellow orb slowly sinking toward the horizon to their right.
“You having regrets?” Gabe said teasingly.
“Never,” Cam said fervently. “I would do that shit a hundred times over if it means I get to legally call you my husband as of tomorrow.”
A wave of happiness surged through Gabe at Cam’s words. After months of debate, they’d finally decided what names they would put on their marriage license.
